Diamonds Central: The Carlton Arms, 8.30-11 pm The pub had to be evacuated due to a fire in the kitchen (no, it wasn't us) but all turned out well and the bar re-opened once the fire brigade had left.
Manchester Sparkle national transgender celebration
Several Diamonds attended and had a good time watching the performances in the park, listening to talks in the LGBT Foundation, doing yoga and meditation in the wellbeing tent, and generally trying to dodge the rain.
Sheltering from the rain in the wellbeing tent at Sparkle. The thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon was so heavy that the stage became waterlogged and the event had to be closed until the following day.
Thur 6
Diamonds Central: The Carlton Arms, 8.30-11 pm
Featuring a star appearance by Kimberly, who having just flown in from Canada popped out to the local pub for a quick drink and something to eat and then ran into us!
Sat 1
Dining Club: The Olive Grove, Regent Street. Seven diamonds enjoyed a nice evening.
Cambridge Pride: Jesus Green A lovely day at Cambridge pride with lots of visitors to our stand. Many thanks to Gem, Susan, Alison and Chrissy who managed to create some excellent publicity material virtually over night. Tracey in her fabulous vintage frock who did a great job of meeting and greeting.
Diamonds Central: The Carlton Arms, 8.30-11 pm
A great turnout of new girls and returners and a new panda was born in colours that cannot be repeated (our panda crocheter has no more yarn of that colour). The proud owner is the wonderful Marion.
Diamonds Central with Cambridgeshire Police hatecrime team: The Carlton Arms, 7.30-10.30 pm (note earlier time).
A very big thank you to James, Luke and Michelle for giving of their time on Thursday night by meeting Diamonds for a chatty friendly get together with a great turn out from Diamonds. We will try to create a more formal meeting at some point where we can discuss issues that concern us. All in all it was a very productive night and great to catch up with some old faces.
Dining Club: Sunday lunch at the Carlton Arms, 2 pm
Terrific lunch time carvery meet up at the pub. Very popular we were second sitting. So much food to chose from and very reasonably priced. We had full public participation and lots of friendly smiles from the local families sharing the restaurant, open marquees and the garden in full sunshine.
Diamonds Central: The Carlton Arms, 8.30-11 pm
Fourteen Diamonds had a great evening!
Sat 2
Dining Club: La Mimosa, 8.15 pm
A very nice meal, athough between the nine of us we managed to run up the biggest bill in our 20 year history of Dining Club - ouch!
March 2022
Thur 31
Diamonds Central: The Carlton Arms, 8.30-11 pm Panda creation at the Carlton Arms
Diamonds Central: The Carlton Arms, 9-11 pm
First meeting at the Carlton Arms. A nice quiet evening, lovely friendly staff. We have our own entrance and loo and the regulars hardly noticed us.
Our new meeting venue
Dining Club: Socially distanced picnic, 3-5 pm, Logan's Meadow.
We are still hosting the picnics on a rotating "one last time" basis.
This Saturday could your last chance with temperatures in the mid teens and a fair gamble for rain predicted.
Getting a bit cold and windy for pinics
Dining club: Socially distanced picnic, 3-5 pm, Logan's Meadow. It was nice and sunny for the first hour, but then the rain turned up just as Denise from Samamba was showing us her jewellery. Fortunately the nearby trees provided some partial shelter, at least for a while.
Wed 4
Diamonds Central: The Boathouse, 8-10 pm. First meeting back in the pub. Just like old times!
July 2021
Wed 28
Diamonds Central: Evening in the park, Logan's Meadow, 8 pm. A rather wet evening, but fortunately the gazebo was waterproof. This will be the last of our July evenings in the park. Next week we'll try a cautious return to the pub.
Dining club: Socially distanced picnic, 3-5 pm, Logan's Meadow.
A sunny afternoon in the meadow, including the birth of a new rainbow panda.
Wed 7
Diamonds Central: Evening in the park, Logan's Meadow, 8 pm. First of a weekly set of face-to-face meetings during July. We will have a gazebo, but bring your own everything else.
Dining club: Socially distanced picnic, 2-5 pm, Logan's Meadow. A pleasant afternoon in the sun, with a police helicopter fly-by even if the band wasn't there this time. Plus, Panda Minim was adopted and named. Panda Minim has been keen to find out more about the psychology of gender, hence a bit of light bedtime reading. Minim certainly knows how to have a good time.
Diamonds Central: Online A whole train of new (or recent) pandas. At least one of them will be called ...Lino
Sun 26
Dining club: Socially distanced picnic, 2-5 pm, Logan's Meadow Moved from Saturday as Sunday had the better weather forecast. We enjoyed a sunny afternoon on the meadow, and the live band from two week's ago was there again too. Socially distanced picnic on Logan's Meadow
Dining club: Socially distanced picnic, Logans Meadow A lovely afternoon, even featuring a plane doing a fly-past and a free band that started up in the meadow
Diamonds Central: Online, 8-11 pm
Not to be beaten by the covid-19 social distancing restrictions and the pub being closed, we had a virtual meeting instead. Some teething problems setting up the software, but overall it seemed to work well with many Diamonds able to join remotely.
Wed 18
Diamonds Central: The Boathouse, 8-11pm A few die-hards were there but most people sensibly stayed away in view of the Covid-19 virus. Unfortunately, in response to the increasing numbers of covid 19 cases in the region, and in line with the government recommendations, our pub meetings will be suspended for the foreseeable future. When the weather improves, perhaps we can arrange some picnic type activities though we will have to keep two shevrons between us.
Transgender Day of rememberance - Castle Mound, 8-8.30 pm
Our annual moment of reflection, with a great view of the city (it was freezing cold though...) Many thanks to Gem for organising.
Diamonds Central: The Boathouse, 8-11pm
NOTE: Diamonds Central meetings have moved to Wednesdays (still at the Boathouse at 8-11 pm) from this week for the foreseeable future. We have moved from Thursdays because the live band that the Boathouse currently has on Thursdays was making discussion difficult due to the background noise. We hope that Wednesdays will be quieter!
Gem's Birthday BBQ 2019 Good weather, good food, even better company, and the birth of new panda Barbie. What more could a Diamond want?
Panda Barbie was born at Gem's birthday BBQ
Ely Pride - The Maltings, Ely, 10am-4pm Strong winds drove the event inside, but the organisers found room for our stall, complete with giant balloon panda and equally massive flag pole, in the Maltings hall. A good time was had by everyone.
Fun and games at Ely Pride
Thur 8
Diamonds Central: The Boathouse, 8-11pm The rain held off almost all evening, but not quite long enough for new panda Lorna to be born. Fortunately the band had finished playing by the time the rain forced us inside, so conversation could continue without need for shouting.
New-born panda Lorna
Diamonds Central: The Boathouse, 8-11pm
Cambridge set a new UK record for the highest recorded temperature earlier in the day (38.7 °C). Diamonds met as usual at the Boathouse, where new panda Piglet was born, Panda Grace showed off her new earings and pendant, and Panda Kim Bolton reported on her trip to Brighton Pride. Pictures from Kim Bolton's trip to Brighton Pride, Grace with her new jewellery, and new panda Piglet born on 25 July
Cambridge Pride 2019 Cambridge's first Pride took place on Saturday 8th June 2019, including a punt parade with each punt decorated in a colour of the rainbow flag and carrying members of local LGBT+ support groups. Diamonds had the yellow punt!
Diamonds member Michelle braved the cold and rain at the front, while others sheltered under umbrellas
Trans Men Focus Week: The Boathouse, 8-11pm
Just to be clear, everyone is welcome every week, and the intent of these focii is purely to promise that a few folks from the same subgroup actually get together. Please don't feel like you have to avoid us if you don't match the target!
Younger Members Focus Week: The Boathouse, 8-11pm
Our regular Thursday meet at the same old place, but attempting to get together more of our younger members, so that you get to meet each other instead of the regulars.
So if you usually tick one of the first two boxes on the age demographics, or don't have to scroll to enter your date of birth, please do come along and meet each other.
Ignore that group of oldies in the corner grumbling about the war, or rationing, or something...
Dining club: Gourmet House (Castle Hill), 8 pm. Four Diamonds enjoyed good food in a cosmopolitan atmosphere. We also discovered that the portion sizes have not got any smaller since our last visit!
February 2019
Thur 28
Diamonds Central: The Boathouse, 8-11pm Fabulous felting by Sophie
Diamonds Central: The Haymakers (Chesterton High Street), 8-11pm Still in the Haymakers this week due to refurbishment of the Boathouse. Back to the Boathouse next week!
Diamonds Extra: Dance night - The Brook, Brookfields, 8.30-11pm Our dance nights are following the John Wright band to their new venue at The Brook, Brookfields (bottom of Mill Road) from this week. As always, please see note here about Diamonds Extra events.
Diamonds Extra: Dance night - The Flying Pig, 8-11pm Note that from next week our dance nights will follow the band to The Brook (on Brookfields at the bottom of Mill Road)
Dining club: Gourmet House, Castle Hill, 8pm. Six diamonds and two pandas enjoyed some delicious (and often very spicy) food and had a lovely evening. The large portion sizes defeated several of us!
Gem's Birthday BBQ - Despite the wet bank holiday weather we still managed to burn plenty of meat, and a good time was had by all. Thanks go to Gem for hosting!
Sat 25
External event: Cambridge Pride community walk and picnic
Diamonds Central: The Boathouse, 8-11pm Siân, Sam, Sheila, a Welsh red dragon, and newborn panda Titus (photo taken shortly before his mouth was added) at Diamonds Central on 9th August
Dining club: Oops, we missed Dining Club this month. We had Charlie Chan's on the list but it recently closed. The Dimonds Dining Club Curse strikes again!
Diamonds Extra: Dance night - The Flying Pig, 8-11pm (NOTE DIFFERENT VENUE FOR THIS WEEK). A last minute change of venue to the Flying Pig, where the John Wright band will be temporarily based as they look for a permanent home.
Diamonds Central: The Boathouse, 8-11pm
Post-Sparkle chat and discussion!
Wed 11
Diamonds Extra: Dance night - Station Tavern, 8-11pm
Jonny Wright's Wednesday Sessions live music have moved to the Station Tavern, Station Square, from this week, and our dance nights have followed them! A number of our regular Wednesday girls attended the first Station Tavern Wednesday Session.
Dining club: No dining club this month due to Sparkle and people being away.
7-8
Trip to Sparkle, Manchester Fewer Diamonds attended this year, but those who did were treated to lots of sunny weather, great music, and interesting talks.
Thur 5
Diamonds Central: The Boathouse, 8-11pm
Jason dropped in to advertise Brighter Days' Summer House party in August. Meanwhile, Panda Sam had fun with the flyers.
Sam is Monach of the Castle!
Wed 4
Diamonds Extra: Dance night - The Boathouse, 8-11pm Note that this is the last Wednesday meeting at the Boathouse; from next week our Dance nights will be following the band to the Station Tavern, Station Square. As always please see note here about Diamonds Extra activities.
Meet, chat and discuss: The Boathouse, 8-11pm
Sparkle-born pandas Sailor and Xena made their introductions and were adopted by Diamonds members. Meanwhile Hugh, who could not be assembled at Sparkle due to a lack of noses, was born.
Trip to Sparkle. Several Diamonds attended the national Sparkle transgender celebration event in Manchester. We had a great weekend, enjoying the music in Sackville Gardens (even if it was a bit loud at times), listening to the talks and joining the workshops in the LGBT Foundation, partying in the bars, browsing the Arndale and Afflecks, and sampling Manchester's restaurants. A huge thanks goes to our very own Gem Taylor who once again organised cheap accommodation for us in Weston Halls. For the official Sparkle website click here.
Four new pandas were born at Sparkle, including Kim Bolton, pictured here on Canal Street with Sam and a partially constructed panda.
Cambridge Constabulary LGBT Community Conference: Huntingdon, 11am-4pm. Confirmed topics include Transgender awareness, Mental health and emotional wellbeing, and personal safety. They have invited us along, so if you would like to attend please let us know. They say: The theme will be "Community" and the aim is for us all to get a better understanding of what we of can do for each other - as a consequence of this, we will all have supplemented our knowledge enabling us to provide an enhanced service to the communities we all work in/for and live in.
Christmas Dinner: St Ives This year we went to the White Hart in St Ives where we enjoyed a lovely (and filling - large portion sizes here!) meal. Many thanks to Gem for organising this year's dinner.
Transgender Day of Remembrance: Castle Hill, 8pm. Eight of us gathered at the top of Castle Hill where surrounded by candles, fairy lights, glowing balloons and the view of the city we remembered those trans folk who have died in the last year from violence.
Dining club: No dining club this month (due to some members being away and the rest of us failing to get sufficiently excited) :(
September 2016
Thur 29
Meet, chat and discuss: The Boathouse, 8-11pm We had a visit from Emma (our police 'LAGLO'), Luke and Michelle from Cambridge Constabulary, looking to find out how they can best help support us. Despite being squashed into a corner of the Boathouse we had a good conversation. They have also invited us to their LGBT Community Conference on 8 February next year.
Pink Festival: Sunday Party, the Boathouse, 11am-late.
The 2016 Pink Festival Sunday Party (Sun 4 Sept) was a great success, featuring live on-stage music in the car park, BBQ, children's activities, craft stalls, disco, and more! Diamonds put in a good presence, with members helping to set up and stewarding as well as enjoying the entertainment. Our banner put in an appearance too!
Meet, chat and discuss: The Boathouse, 8-11pm
Sparkle-born pandas Rose and Tally attended their first Thursday meeting, while Panda Boris made his first appearance as Foreign Secretary. Plus, fabulous ice cream cupcakes supplied by Megan!
Presenting your new Foreign Secretary, all hail Boris!Newest panda mascot Tally's full name is Talisker Oban Laphroaig Glenfiddich. No wonder she ends up in the gutter at the end of the night!
Pink Festival at the Big Weekend: Cambridge LGBT event with possible Pride March. See their Facebook page for more.
8-10
Trip to the Sparkle National Transgender Celebration event in Manchester. Many diamonds attended and in spite of the rain had lots of fun variously enjoying the atmosphere and live music in Sackville Gardens and on Canal Street, attending the talks and workshops at the LGBT Foundation, eating out in the pubs, restaurants and tea rooms, browsing the shops (and scouring the city in search of navy blue wool for the Diamonds Pandas), visiting museums, making new friends and catching up with old ones from across the country, and partying the nights away in the pubs and clubs of Manchester's Gay Village. Three new panda mascots were born: Lulu II (who disappeared off with a fellow passenger on the train out), Rose (who is very pink due to a temporary blue wool shortage), and Tally. A huge thanks must go to Gem for organising the accommodation at Weston Halls for us.
Sparkle 2016: In and around the National Transgender Celebration event in Sackville Gardens, Manchester
Dining club: Moza, Cambridge Leisure Park 8 fabulous diamonds throroughly enjoyed a lovely evening at Moza tasting a variety of Indian dishes -including popadums, onion bahji, a wide range of curries (chicken, lamb, fish, etc.), different kinds of freshly made pilau rice and naan bread (plain, garlic, peshwari), and completed with a variety of fruits and rice puddings... The pandas only emerged once they heard that the curries had been cleared. Apparently they did not fancy any curry stain!
Susan's birthday meal: Nines Global BuffetSeveral Diamonds celebrated Susan's birthhday with a meal out at Nines Global Buffet. New panda mascot Sam was also born, thus sharing a birthday with Susan!
Meet, chat and discuss: The Boathouse, 8-11pm
Matt Gadsby, Community Cohesion & Partnership Support Sergeant of Cambridgeshire Police Constabulary visited us to discuss policing in the city.
Social and dance night: The Boathouse have their new year's eve party tonight, so no regular Meet, chat and discuss. Some Diamonds may be at the Boathouse's party - watch the forum or Facebook page
Meet, chat and discuss: NO MEETING
It is possible that some Diamonds may be there anyway, but you might want to check the forum or Facebook page to see if anyone else is going if you are thinking of turning up, otherwise you might be the only one there!
Christmas meal out: The Jolly Brewer, Milton, 8pm 19 Diamonds attended and had an enjoyable evening of good food and good company. Many thanks to Susan for organising the dinner again this year!
Dining club: NO DINING CLUB this month as we have the Christmas dinner instead (on 19th Dec). We decided that we were all looking forward to too many turkey dinners to have a dining club as well!
International Transgender Day of Remembrance Reading: Castle Mound, 8-9pm
A quiet, round the candle, meeting to remember those across the world in the trans community who have suffered over the
last year. The reading is being organised by Diamonds but all are welcome.
In spite of the cold around 17 of us from Diamonds and from across the city gathered around the latterns, glowsticks and fairy lights in a very moving vigil. We read the official TDoR list of those known to have died as a result of anti-transgender violence over the past year, and also remembered those who have died through suicide or silently in countries where transgender is never talked about. Let us hope and pray that there will be fewer names on the list in future years.
Dining club: Plough and Fleece, Horningsea.
On Saturday 7th November 2015, 11 Cambridge diamonds and 4 pandas gathered to have a candle lit dinner at the Plough and Fleece, Horningsea.
The food and veg were beautifully cooked and in large sufficient portion. The waiting staff were friendly and helpful.
All of us had a lovely time.
Sheila, Rupert, Mick and Jenna at the November Dining Club
Dining club: Klub Polonia, 8 pm Diamonds panda mascots Jenna, Mick and Awhina had lots of fun at Klub Polonia, enjoying the soup and climbing the vases. All balancing on one flower vase proved tricky, but by combining their efforts and all supporting each other they finally made it. Isn't that what Diamonds is all about?
Thur 1
Meet, chat and discuss: The Boathouse, 8-11pm New panda mascot Awhina was born and joined the others!
The famous Diamonds pandas are celebrating the new born! Left to right in the second photo are Mick, Rupert, Awhina and Sheila
Dining club: We're planning to try the new Chinese Restaurant on Chesterton Road which has opened on the site of our old favourite the Hot Pot. NOTE change from our previous idea of the Polonia Club - we'll save that for another time. Please let us know if you'd like to come! They have no menus and no phone, which also probably means it is cash only (so what has changed, you ask) These Pandas seem to have a thing for Chinese food?
Gem's Birthday BBQ The rain stopped and the sun came out just in time! Many thanks to Gem for hosting this event again this year!
Sheila Bear tucks in at Gem's BBQ
Thur 20
Meet, chat and discuss: The Boathouse, 8-11pm Table mascot Sheila was back from her holiday in France with Diamonds member Chrissie, and shared some of her holiday snaps:
Sheila on holiday in France. Click on the thumbnails for the full versions!
Transgender film with Director & Lead Actress Q&A, Arts Picturehouse, 6.30pm The "Queers in Shorts" season has a Transgender film on! 52 Tuesdays plus live Q&A with director Sophie Hyde and lead actress Tilda
Cobham-Hervey is on at the Arts Picturehouse at 6.30pm. Note the film is on and finished before our regular meet.
Dining club: Yippee Noodles, King street, 8pm.
Nine Diamonds attended and had an enjoyable evening, while Diamonds panda mascot Jenna had fun with the chopsticks! Jenna at the August Dining Club
Trip to Sparkle, Manchester. Several Diamonds members attended the weekend and had a great time! Diamonds members got up to a range of activities including browsing the shops in Manchester's Arndale Centre and Afflecks, drinking free champagne in the VIP area at the Sparkle welcome event on Friday, enjoying the live music at Sparkle in the Park, attending the Sparkle talks and workshops at the LGBT Foundation, and sampling some of Manchester's restaurants!
Sparkle 2015 (left to right): Enjoying the sun by canal street, drinking free champagne at the Sparkle welcome event, some of the Sparkle banners, and Diamonds member Michelle with Alan Turing in Sackville Gardens.
Dining club: Bella Italia, 8.30pm June Dining Club
Thur 4
Meet, chat and discuss: The Boathouse, 8-11pm. We had hoped to attend KaLing's leaving party at the Hotpot restaurant (one of our favourite Dining Club venues, which is closing this week due to the owner KaLing moving on) but it turned out to be so popular that we were unable to get in. However we had a nice evening at the Boathouse instead!
Leaflet and poster design meeting, Milton Tesco Costa, 1pm
Planning meeting for designing and updating leaflets and posters to promote Diamonds at festivals such as the Big Weekend.
Mary Humphrey exhibition including our pics!
Photographer Mary Humphrey, who took the lovely photos on our website front page when she came to Diamonds, is exhibiting her work at the ArtCell Gallery (CRUK Cambridge Research Institute, Addenbrookes site). It includes our pics so do go along to support her as she gave the pics to us! The exhibition is entitled 'Because - a reflection and accumulation of images and voices that demand to be acknowledged', and runs 29 May - 31 July 2015 (PV 30 May 10am-2pm).
Planning meeting to discuss involvement in Pink Festival: The Boathouse, 8-11pm This was to discuss our involvement in next year's Pink Festival, and this year's "Pink at the Big Weekend".
Quiz night: NO QUIZ NIGHT The Boathouse isn't doing their weekly quiz this week - but they say it will be back as normal next week
Thur 15
Meet, chat and discuss: NO MEETING
Or at least no "greeters" - see the Events blog. Other folk may turn up, so please do check the yahoo or facebook groups
Meet, chat and discuss: The Boathouse, 8-11pm. Meeting as normal for the first gathering of 2015!
December 2014
Wed 31
Social and dance night: New Year's Eve party at the Boathouse, 8-11pm The Boathouse has a special New Year's Eve party tonight, and Diamonds members will be there! See the Boathouse's poster here for details; note that tickets are £15 and you may want to get one in advance.
Meet, chat and discuss: The Boathouse, 8-11pm.
Tonight's meeting featured two guest visits!
- Lily Quantock from local LGBT charity Encompass Network joined us to learn more about trans issues and what Encompass can do to support Diamonds.
- Ruth Foreman and her friends from Free To Be Me Ltd came along to get our input on the new lingerie web shop they are setting up with a focus on supporting our particular needs.
Dining club: The Wrestlers, Newmarket Road, Cambridge, 8pm
Thur 2
Extra meeting at the Boathouse An extra meeting was requested to discuss a number of issues. Notably we decided that from November we will run an extra meeting at the Boathouse every Thursday, in addition to the Wednesday meetings. The atmosphere in the Boathouse is much quieter on Thursdays than on Wednesdays and it is hoped that the Thursday meetings will give more opportunity for chatting and discussion of trans-related issues.
